Layou Benefits from Outputs of Citizenship by Investment Programme

News16.01.2017

The Dominica Citizenship by Investment Programme continues to contribute to the wellbeing of our citizens, as funds are reinvested in local communities and our island’s entrepreneurs. Early in the New Year, $100,000 was presented to the Chairman of the Layou Improvement Committee, Mr Lazare Charles, whose task is to oversee the development of the Layou community.

Layou, a valley on Dominica’s western coast that serves as the home to around 450 people, has a long history of settlement, and was a key outpost in the defence mechanism that alerted the Dominica to foreign invasion. Fishing is Layou’s core trade, although farming in sugar, tobacco, and lime is also prevalent.

The Honourable Kelver Darroux, Layou’s Representative in Parliament, highlighted that the $100,000 would benefit a wide range of small businesses in the community, including “the fishing [industry], the farmers in the community of Layou, the retail shops, hairdressers, restaurants and bars in the community….”

Mr Darroux focused on the far-reaching benefits of the Citizenship by Investment Programme in revitalising and supporting not just the Layou community, but all Dominicans. “So you can see that the [Programme] continues to play a tremendous role in the economic activities in this country. Now, when you have individuals out there criticizing this Programme and trying to bring this Programme down, you can well imagine the impact it can have on the average citizen of Dominica,” concluded the Parliamentarian.